Bank-protecting device



Aug. 21, 192s. 1,681,481

J. W. JOHNSTON BANK PROTECT ING DEVI CE A Filed April 13, 1926 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Ang. 21,1928.

unireevsrares JOHN W. JOHNSTON, or STOCKTOM'oALIFORNrA.'

BAiiK-rnoracrme DEVICE. j

Application mea April 13, 192e.V serial no iolgeso.

Y. lThis invention relates to improvements in devices forjprotecting counter or Window Workers inbanks and other similar' mercan- `tileihouses from danger `Whenya-n lattempted hold-up of the Workers behindthe counter isV staged;V n

.The 'principal or `fun'demental objects of the invention, Athe advantages' thereof, and

themethod `of controlling theiunctioning of the structure are substantiallyl the same as set Vforth in my co-pending application for patent, Serial No.163,018, alloWeclMarch 19th, V19267, and hencea vrepetition ot such.

objects is unnecessary herein. 1 v iThe main-object of thepresent invention is to provide `protecting screen or shutter` f structures, in the formof units, one to cover j the entire-Width ofa Workers cage 'as vWell as the `Window itself;` Veach lunit as awhole being so 'constructed and arranged 'that it may be easily 4installed in any establish- `ment Whose counters, partitionv and grille Work kare already set up,:and Wlthout havingV to mutilate or rearrange any ofsuch peri manent parts.

.These objects I accomplish by means of such 'structure and delative arrangement ofv partsaswill .fullyappear by a perusal of the `.following Specication and claims.

ln the drawingssimilar characters of refereneeindicate corresponding parts, in the several views:

.isprotec'ting units installed inv place.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.`

Fig. 3.is Va-'fragmentary enlarged transi l' verse section takenon the line 3 3 ofFig. 1.

AFig. 3.

.Fig 4 is an enlarged end elevation 4of the .devicepartly inlsection looking toward the other end ot' the ystructure from that shown in.Fig.2. j l ig. is across section on the line 5j-5 of .Fig 6. is aifragmentary longitudinal view i of thefcurtain structure.

' is a fragmentary detail showing aV A Y y length suficient to project through the slots ,-13 to adjacent thefoppo'site'sides ofthetubu- -Vl'armembers While the other bar sterminate Fig.

catchor the bottom curtainbar.

Referring nowmore particularly to Vthe hf:cliaracters ofreference on the drawings, the

numeral l` denotes.itlie usual horizontal counter supported by a solid Wall Q'eXtending to the Hoor, and having an upper Wall Vform of grille-Work 3 or` similar arrange vment extending thereabove, said. grille-work being provided With' a Window 4. intermediate its ends. Transverse inwardly projecting (partitions 5 divide the counter structure into, Va number of separatedV compartments Y or cages. This arrangement is standard in `one former `other inmostbanks -and the like.,

`and I d o notalter thesame in-anyj Way. 4

My improved projecting apparatus fior Veach cage comprisesa pair of tubular members 6 mounted on the counter adjacentthe junctions of the partitions 5- Witll-theffront Wall .3. Mounted on top of the tubular members are tubular caps-T having brackets 8` projecting inwardly from thevwall 3. rlurnably mountedjon anti-friction bearings 9 in the brackets and .extending therebew tween `is a shaft: 10, onywhichis rfixed a drum 11. l Mounted in thedrum is a flexible curtain N12, one end lot which isfixed (on the drum the members `Gland 7, 'These slots extend from the bottom of the members 6 toa `point terminate` at the inner sides of the latter v1n the form of relatively deep mouths 14, so

as to `receive the curtain with `equal facility,

i Y regardless ofthe Windingfor unwinding .of ,Figpl is a top plan vieWof my improved shown `in 6. The curtain-lisV `guided` properly into the 4mouths of the slots Without rubbing contact with the Walls by, means of vrollers 18 Vmounted on the brackets 8 and pro- Vjectingnnd'er the curtain adjacent the slots.

rEhe lowvermostbar` 1.5: of the curtain has a short of the bar 15EL andhave a lengthonly intermediate the ends ofthe members 7, and Y sufficient tov enable them to be guidedY in thle v slots. Substantial co-il springs 19 mounted in the caps 7 bear down on the extended ends of the bars 15a.

In order to normally maintain the curtain wound on the drum, the lower bar 15 adjacent the top of the slots and the spring 1.9 fully compressed, I provide the following structure A ratchet wheel 20 is mounted on the shaft l() at one end thereof. This ratchet wheel is normally engaged by a spring pressed pawl 21 mounted on the adjacent bracket 8. This pawl is released at will, to release the drum and allow the springs 19 to function to lower the curtain, by means of a rod 22 applied to 'an arm 21a extended from Ythe pawl 2l.

This rod extends thence through the counter l to a connection with a foot lever or pedal 23 mounted on the floor under the counter. AThis pedal arrangement, for operating the various curtain units, Vis preferably the same as that shown in the aforementioned pre` vious application, so that any unit may be operated independently of any others, or all may be operated simultaneously from any one point.

In order to break the shock of descent of the curtain when adjacent the counter I place spiral telescopic springs 24 in the members G at the bottom thereof to engage the lower curtain bar 15a. The springs 24 being telescopic do not interfere with the lowering of said bar to a point immediately adjacent the counter, the resistance of said springs being less than the combined weight of the curtain and the pressure of the springs 19` In order to enable the curtain to be easily raised after it has been lowered, I provide a downwardly depending lever 26 which is turnably mounted on the shaft 10 outwardly of the ratchet-wheel 20. Said lever has a spring pressed pawl 27 which engages a ratchet wheel. It will therefore be seen that a reciprocating movement of the lever will cause a rotation of the ratchet wheel and drum in a direction to cause the curtain to be wound onto the drum, the reverse rotation of the drum when the lever is retracted being prevented by the engagement of the ralatively fixed pawl 21 with the ratchet wheel 20.

To cause the pawl 27 to be disengaged from the ratchet wheel when vthe pawl 21 is disengaged therefrom, an extension 28 is provided with said pawl 27, which extension projects into the path of downward movement of the arm 21a, such movement of said arm thus causing both pawls to .be disengaged from the ratchet wheel simultaneously. To maintain the lever in iiXed position when not in use, a detachable hook connection 29 is provided between the lever and the adjacent standard 6. In order that the appara-tus may present a neat appearance and one which will be easily kept clean, the

drum and if necessary the ratchet and pawl mechanism are preferably surrounded by a housing 30 which is attached to the brackets 8.

The springs 19 should be of suiiicient strength to cause the curtain to descend very rapidly, and to maintain the curtain at its lowermost rposition with a certain pressure besides the actual weight of the curtain.

To cause the curtain to be positively maintained at such lowermost position however, the lower bar 15L is provided with inwardly projecting lugs 31 near the members 6. Each lug, when the curtain is lowered to its fullest extent, automatically engages a spring pressed releasable pawl 32 mounted in connection with the adjacent member 6.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that l have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

I-Iaving thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for protecting an opening comprising a curtain mounted in connection therewith to cover the same and normally clear of said opening, spring means tending to move the curtain to a covering position, said spring means havingl a strength sufficient to impel the curtain to a closing position but insufcient to maintain it in such position, relcasable means normally preventing the spring means from functioning, and releasable catch means to engage and positively hold the curtain in covering position after the spring means has initially acted to move the curtain to such position.

2. A device for protecting an opening comprising a flexible curtain to cover the opening, a drum mounted in connection with the opening beyond one side thereof and on which the curtain is normally wound to be clear of said opening, means tending to unwind the curtain from the drum and rotate the latter, a ratchet wheel mounted on the drum, a lever turnably mounted relative to and concentric with the drum adjacent the sprocket wheel, a pawl mounted on the lever and normally engaging the ratchet Wheel, said pawl and ratchet wheel being arranged to cause the drum to be rotated in a curtain winding direction with the movement of the lever in one direction, another pawl Xed relative to the drum independent of the lever and also normally engaging the ratchet wheel, manually operated means for releasing said last named pawl, and means between the pawls for causing the lever pawl p y 1,631,481 Y to be released from the ratchet Wheel When said other pawl is released therefrom, Without causing said other pawl to be released when the lever is manipulated to actuate the paWl thereof.

3. A structure as in claim 2,v said last named means comprising an extension proand overhanging the extension, said eXtension and arm being so disposed that when the second named pawl is disengaged from the ratchet Wheel the arm thereof will bear against the extension to move the pawl 'attached thereto clear of the ratchet Wheel.

In testimony WhereofpI aiix my signature.

JOHN W.v JOHNSTON. 

